Tape puller



Spt. 1.6, -1930.* t R. c. uNDERwooD 1,776,093

TAPE FULLER Filed Aug. 2, 1928 Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UNITEDK STATES PATE NT OFFICE ROBERT C. UNDERWOOIL OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 TRANS-LUX DAY- LIGHT PICTURE SCREEN CORPORATION DELAWARE 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF TAPE FULLER Application led August 2, 1928. Serial No. 296,916.

vThis invention relates to a tape-feeding means and more particularly to means for feeding a tape ejected from a data-recording device to and through a projecting position.

It is now the practice to obtain on a screen images of stock and news quotations or other indicia printed on tape by any of the well* known data-recording means. The tape is intermittently ejected from the data-recording means and if the projection occurs in synchronism with the movement of the tape as it is ejected fromy lthe data-recording means, a jerky, intermittent projection will be obtained. This is, of course, undesirable. Various machines and devices have been devised to effect a substantially uniform proj ection whereby the intermittent, jerky movement on the screen is substantially smoothed out. In some of the devices the feeding means is 'controlled by the tension of the tape and functions similar to a slip-clutch. Other devices have been devised to control the tapepulling or feeding mechanism by means of a switch controlled by a loop in the tape formed between the ticker and the projecting mechanism. In these devices, when the ticker ceased. operation, the arrangement was such that the pulling mechanism would continue to operate until the loop had been takenv up sufficiently to actuate or raise a lever whereby a circuit including a motor controlling the feed means was broken and the latter stopped.

-llVhen the loop increased in size, a contact carried by the lever riding on the loop engaged another contact closing the circuit whereby the motor controlling the feeding means was operated and the tape fed through the system.

I have found that I can obtain a substantially uniform and smooth projection by feeding the tape intermittently ejected from a data-recording device to and through the projection position by means of a feed roll controlled by means operated by air or other gaseous fluids. i

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a tape puller controlled by means operated by air or other gaseous fluids.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tape pulling mechanism, said tape pulling mechanismcomprising a pulling roll controlled or actuated by an air nozzle, fan o1' other blower mechanism.

Another object of this invention is -to provide a tape puller actuated by a fan or blower mechanism whereby the tape, when in a looseI or slack condition, is fed in the machine and when in a taut condition the pulling mechanism is rendered ineffective.

Other objects will appear from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically an apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the tape pulling mechanism and its accompanying cooperative parts.

Referring now .tothe drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, the reference numeral 1 designates a. ticker of the usual type. Since the specific details of the ticker mechanism do not constitute any part of this invention, furtherdescription thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The tape 2, as it is ejected from the ticker 1, passes beneath a. stationary finger 3 and forms a loop 4 from whence it is ldrawn across a" support or table 5 by the tape feeding mechanism 6. When in position on the support 5, which may be of any transparent material, such as glass, or an open frame work, images of the indicia on the tape are obtained by means of a lamp 7, condensers 8 and mirror 9, on the screen 10 where said images'may be viewed by a large number of spectators. Since the specific construction of the projection apparatus forms no partof this invention,`further description thereof is considered unnecessary.

The feeding mechanism comprises a pulling roll 11 adjustably fastened on a shaft-12 by means of a sleeve 13 attached to the roll 11, a set screw 14E retaining the sleeve 13 in a desired position. To increase the tractive force of the roll 11, its surface may be knurled or otherwise Toughened. If desired, a pressure roll 15 may be resiliently mounted in cooperative relation with the pulling roll 11.- The other end of the shaft 12 is carried in a jOLuull or bearing 16. Adjacent the bearing 1G, a fan 1T is secured to the shaft12. Spaced from the fan 17 there is a fan 18 carried on a shaft 19 of the motor 20. Either or both of the fans- 1T and 18 may be adjustably mounted whereby they may be adjusted in any desired position relative to each other. Various means may be used to adjnstablv mount the fans 1T and 18. In the drawings I have disclosed a sleeve 21 connected to the fan 1T and movable on the shaft 12 and adapted to be fastened at various positions thereon by the set screw Q2. By means of a sleeve 23 and a set screw 2l, the fan 18 may be positioned at various points on the motor shaft 19. The two fans 1T and 18 are enclosed in a suitable casing 25, which may be provided with openings controlled by a slide (not shown) whereby the amount of air introduced therein or escaping therefrom may be regulated.

In operation the tape 2. as it is intermittently ejected from the ticker l. is formed into the loop 4 from whence it is drawn across the projection table 5 by the feeding means 6. If the loop 4 is of such a size that there is a looseness or slack in the tape, the roll 11 rotated by means of the air impelled on fan 1T by fan 18 wllrotate and feed the tape through the system. If the tension of the i tape increases and the tape becomes taut, the tensionl of the tape offers resistance to the roll sufficient to overcome the force supplied to fan 17 by fan 18 and prevents the rotation of the shaft 12, whereby the pulling roll 11 will slip or otherwise be rendered ineffective. IVhen sufhcient slack or looscness in the tape has accumulated the tape will offer no resistance to the roll 11 and it will be fed through the system.

Various modifications in the specific details above-described may be made without departing from the nature of the invention. For instance, if desired. the tape puller may be actuated by other blowing mechanisms or by a blast of air delivered on to the fan 17 through a nozzle. Also, instead of the 4fan 17, spokes extending radially from a` hub keyed to the fan shaft and carrying cup shaped devices may be used to receive the projected or impelled air.

I claim:

1. In a data-recording-projection-systcm. means to feed therethrough a tape' ejected from a datarecording device, said means comprising a shaft` a pulling roll fastened on said shaft, air-actuatable means mounted on said shaft, and means adapted to impel air on said air-actuatable. means whereby said shaft and roll are rotated.

2. In a data-recording-projection-system,

means to feed therethrough a tape ejected from a data-recording device, said means "comprising a shaft, a pulling roll fastened on said shaft, a fan mounted on said shaft, and

means adapted to impel air on said fan whereby s-aid shaft and roll are rotated.

3.In a datarecordiiig-projection-system, means to feed therethrough a tape ejected from a data-recording device, said means comprising a shaft, a pulling roll fastened 5. In a data-recording-projection-system,

means to feed therethrough a tape ejected from a. data-recording device, said means comprising a shaft, a pulling roll mounted on said shaft, a fan mounted on said shaft, a motor, a motor shaft, and. a blower mechanism mounted on said motor shaft whereby air impelled by said blower mechanism will rotate said fan, shaft and pulling roll.

6. In a data-recording-projection-system, means to feed therethrough a tape ejected from a data-recording device, said means comprising a shaft, a pulling roll mounted on said shaft, a fan mounted on said shaft, a motor, a motor shaft, a blower mechanism mounted on said motor shaft whereby air impelled by said blower-mechanism will rotate said fan, shaft an-d pulling roll, and means to position said fan and blower mechanism relative to each other. j

7. In a data-recording-projection system, means to feed therethrough a tape ejected from a data-recording device, said means comprising a shaft, a pulling roll mounted on said shaft, a fan mounted on said shaft, a motor, a motor shaft, and a" blower mechamsm mounted on said motor shaft whereby kair impelled by said blower mechanism will rotate said fan, shaft and pulling roll, said -fan and blower mechanism being slidably mounted.

S. In a data.-recording-projection-system, means to feed therethrough a tape ejected from a data-recording device, said means comprising a. shaft, a pulling roll fastened on said shaft, air-actuatable means mounted on said shaft, means adapted to'impel air on said air-actuatable means whereby said shaft and roll are rotated, and means for positioning said means 'relative to each other.

9. In a data-recording-projection-system, A

means to feed therethrough a tape ejected from a data-recording device, said means 'comprising a shaft, a pulling roll fastened on said shaft, a fan mountedmn said shaft,

mea-ns adapted to impel air on said fan whereby said shaft and roll are rotated, and

means for positioning said fan and means relative to each other.

10. The combination with a tape, and means for moving said tape along a predetermined path, of means for operatinglsaid tape moving means, said second named means comprising an air-actuatable device, and mechanism for impelling air into engagement with said device.

11. The combination with a tape, and means for moving said tape along a predetermined path, of means for operating said tape moving means, said second-named means comprising a rotatable air-actuatable device,

l and mechanism for impelling air into engagement with said device, the speed of operation of said device being determined by the tension exercised by said tape.

In testimony whereof, I have aixed my signature to this specification.

ROBERT C. UNDERllVOOD. 

